The Borrower and Her Bean (complete)

Part 11

A/N sorry for the delay had writer's block, but I think it's flowing again.

Melina's little body was limp and cold. Henry raced to his bedroom removed his shirt and then carefully removed her outer garments. Once she was only in her underwear he placed her on his stomach. Pulling a thick blanket over her. Slowly he rubbed her body with his thumb through the blanket pleading for her to wake up.

Kal noticing his masters panic. He jumped on the bed and smelling his friend placed his nose right near Melina. "Good job Kal, keep breathing your warm air on lina." Henry's heart thumbed as he continued to rub her little body. Wondering what else he could do he looked out at the night sky it's inky blackness only enhanced the brightness of the stars. Remembering her lullaby wondered if it would help her as it had helped him. His deep cadence hesitantly filled the room as he began to sing.

The silvery eyes silently watched as the bean tried to revive the borrower. They heard his song, a call to their kind, echo around the room. They watch as the little body began to breathe and then moan a sign of life. The Beans shoulders shook as relief was replaced with sorrow. His deep voice softly reached their ears. "My Lina, calls out to you her dreams to become like me, I don't know if you are really there or if you have the power. So let me add my request to hers, if I can become a borrower please let it be."  Both eyes set on each other, they twinkled in delight and mischief.

Melina was trapped in the cold darkness, unable to move, unable to wake. A tiny glow lit ahead of her, growing larger as she felt pulled towards it. Suddenly she heard a deep melodic voice calling her name, then the sweet melody of her lullaby. Warmth engulfed her as she felt drawn to the voice. Her body tingled all over as her nerve ending burned to life causing a moan to escape her lips. Above her, she heard her beans sigh then the whisper of prayer before she fell into a deep sleep. 

Henry smelt a warm current of hot putrid air pushing at his body. Groaning he opened his eyes and then shut them tightly against the image before him. Willing himself to wake up he tried again but the image didn't change. Beside him lay the sleeping Melina her arms hugging his duvet, that in itself was enough to cause him to believe he was still dreaming. However, what turned this into a nightmare was the large black mussel and an open-mouthed cavern filled with large teeth in front of Melina accentuating the fact that Melina had not grown but he had shrunk. 

Hoping he was just stuck in a terrible dream he decided to make the most of it. Moving closer he wrapped Melina up in his arms. The feel of her soft skin, and the gentle movement of her chest bringing calm to his freaked out mind. Hoping to wake up in their familiar size differences he pulled the duvet over himself shut his eyes and willed himself to sleep.

Melina awoke to a groaning in her ear and an odd sensation, something heavy laid across her chest. She tried to move her arm to free herself of the constraint. It was at this moment that it became clear that another borrower was holding her close.  The arm was not familiar, it was not Carson or Greg or even her father but it was definitely a male.  Panic welled up in her as the arm pulled her close into his hard body. Soft lips nuzzled into her neck and moaned "Lina". Twisting her body around to face the stranger she gasped, shock numbing her speech as she stared at a sleeping Henry. Not her gigantic bean but now a borrower size bean. 

She reached out a hand to touch his face as it scrunched up in his familiar nightmare grimace. Her hand now ran over his entire cheek rather than just grazing his cheekbone. Concern trumped her shock and she fell into the familiar routine of a song. Her sweet voice filling the air and his face relaxed, his eyes opened. Sleep hazed they held the same look of shock as they filled with tears "It wasn't a dream" 

He burrowed into her arms seeking assurance that he would be ok, her arms hesitantly wrapped around him. It was not exactly how he had envisioned their coming together, in fact, it was completely the opposite. Instead of him comforting a scared and confused Lina, showing her his world and hoping she would stay. It was Henry scared and confused seeking Lina's comfort. Hoping that she would not be still angry at him, and she would show him her world. Eyes tight he was unable to think of anything else but clinging to the one who he desperately needed.

Melina was so confused and in reality, she was still angry with Henry, but this was an extraordinary situation. As he clung to her she hesitantly wrapped him up in her arms. It was confusing her senses now having her bean clinging tightly to her body. She rubbed his back in small circles as his shuddering breaths started to even out. Running her hand through his hair, something she had never been able to do before, she spoke softly to her bean "It's going to be ok Henry, your not alone." He looked up at her his eyes red and puffy, causing Melina's heart to clench. Determining to put aside her anger she was going to help him adjust as a borrower, it didn't mean she had to trust him, but she didn't have to be angry with him anymore. 

It took a while for Melina to shift from full concern for Henry to questioning her own predicament. Her last memory was going to get Ice cream so how did she end up in his bed? it was at that moment that she also realised something else. A deep blush coloured her face as she felt that she was skin to skin with her bean. Hesitant to cause him more turmoil she softly said: "Henry, I need you to move away from me and tuck the blanket around you" having returned his face to her shoulder he mumbled, "Why lina?" biting her lip and fighting the embarrassment she started to lift his arm from her waist "because for some reason I am only in my undergarments ...... and I don't think your boxers shrunk with you" It took all of 2 seconds for her Bean to spring back from her his face also now coloured a Rosie hue of red.

He couldn't look at her, how had he not realised that he was completely naked. He heard her sigh before speaking "Sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you. It makes sense that they didn't shrink with you. But what doesn't make sense is how I am here in your bed and also almost naked." Pushing past the embarrassment he looked up at her frowning face, "well, umm you got locked in the freezer and when I got to you your body was turning blue. So I did what they suggest for hypothermia, Skin on Skin to warm you up slowly. " He knew that was only the half-truth and hope she would not ask. Her forehead deepened and she took a breath"Ok, Thank you. but how did you know I was trapped in the freeze?" 

His red cheeks deepened further in colour as he rubbed the back of his neck a tell tail sign what she was about to hear she would not like. His eyes did not quite reach hers as he explained "Well when you and your family disappeared, I missed you all. I kind of got desperate to see you so I set up cameras. I slept during the day and watched the cameras at night just in hope of getting to see you again. That how I knew you were in trouble because I watched it happen" Melina's mouth opened in surprise at his actions. It confirmed her need to not trust him, but still, she realised that if he had not been watching she would be dead now. She thought for a few minutes trying to get the nervousness down before addressing the problem. 

 Gathering a breath and pulling the blanket tighter around her she said" In one way I am grateful that you saved me, and that you were watching when it happened. However, can you see how that behaviour is another invasion of privacy?" echoing her action of pulling himself deeper into his section of the blanket he bit his lip and replied "I'm Sorry lina, I'm sorry I read your diary, once I realised it was a diary I should have put it down, I'm also sorry for putting up the cameras. The reason I came to see you that day was to apologise for my words that night. I don't just want you to be here as my dream catcher. I actually care about you and maybe that why last night when I thought about losing you I asked the stars to make me a borrower........I guess they heard me. Do you forgive me, Lina"

The atmosphere between the two of them was very heavy, both afraid of what the other felt. Henry watched as his Lina tried to come to terms with what he had said. Hoping he would not be rejected as he had been before he waited. She looked up at him and was about to speak when the sound of  Kal's loud whine was heard. They both looked into the monstrous puppy's face, his large pink tongue loling out in a panting motion. Groaning Henry glanced at Melina in concern "How are we supposed to feed him?" chuckling she said, "We will work it out, that is part of being a borrower, problem-solving." 

A/N Thank you for continuing to read the start between Henry and Lina, love comments and votes :)